


Knight of the Sun

by Raiyn



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Knight Sakusa Kiyoomi, M/M, Mentions of Blood, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prince Hinata Shouyou, Slow Burn, eventual sword fighting and violence, potential death of original characters, your favorite Haikyuu characters are safe from significant harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-24 10:15:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30070728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raiyn/pseuds/Raiyn
Summary: The story of Prince Shouyou and his loyal knight, Sir Sakusa Kiyoomi: two childhood friends who gradually fall in love -- though perhaps it was always meant to be.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Sakusa Kiyoomi
Comments: 12
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello! Raiyn (formerly cheese_tea) here, excited to be back with a very long fic planned! A couple notes before we begin:
> 
> **Tags/Warnings**
> 
>   * Graphic depictions of violence: This will be mostly sword-fighting later on in the fic. There will be bloodshed. I won't go _super_ into detail, but yeah there could be violence, injury, and possible minor character death.
>   * Minor character death: Don't worry, our favorite Haikyuu characters will all be safe from death! However, it is definitely possible that some of my original characters (including the made-up family members of our favorites) could perish.
>   * More tags to be added with each chapter: Please check for updates. I'll also try to mention them in author's notes if there's anything particularly significant or potentially triggering.
> 

> 
> **Other Notes**
> 
>   * This is set in a completely fictional world loosely inspired by medieval times. The available technology and the social positions will be reminiscent of that era, but I'm not trying to make it especially accurate to a particular time period.
>   * Characters will not use typical Japanese honorifics. They'll use titles when reasonable. (eg. "Prince," "Lady," etc.)
> 

> 
> Alright, let's begin! I hope you enjoy!! <3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friends since birth, six-year-olds Prince Shouyou and Kiyoomi explore the castle they call home and get into some mischief.

* * *

#### 

Prologue

* * *

In the Kingdom of Taiyou, known widely in the land for its bright and sunny weather, a baby boy was born on a particularly stormy day. It was said to be an omen, though the kingdom’s ancient texts did not agree on whether it was a good omen or bad.

The boy was second in line for the throne after his father, Prince Hinata Akio, and he was given the name Shouyou. He cried nonstop for his first few hours of life, his tears and wails echoing the rain and thunder pounding the castle walls. His cries broke his mother’s heart. Nothing Princess Erina tried could manage to soothe her newborn son to sleep.

The Princess called her closest friend, Lady Sakusa, to her labor room to seek advice, since she had also given birth to a son just three months prior. Lady Sakusa hurried to the room with little Kiyoomi bundled in blankets, and she placed her son next to the still-crying Shouyou in the bassinet. As Lady Sakusa hugged her friend and whispered words of encouragement, Kiyoomi, who had been sleeping soundly until then, stirred. He rolled over with his eyes still closed and grasped Shouyou’s tiny hand with his own, burbling softly. 

The tired new mothers looked at each other as Prince Shouyou cooed for the first time, finally settling into a deep sleep as the rain poured outside.

  
  


* * *

#### 

Chapter 1

* * *

Kiyoomi’s favorite spot in the castle he called home was the library. Ever since he had been old enough to walk, he’d had free reign of the vast tower lined completely with books from floor to roof. Lady Sakusa, as Head Librarian, saw it as her duty to introduce her son to reading as early as possible, and Kiyoomi spent his days climbing the seemingly-endless spiral staircase to discover fantastical new worlds amongst the mazes of shelves. 

At six years of age, Kiyoomi was easily found tucked away on the highest floor, curled up in his usual comfy chair with a book about dragons. Engrossed in the story despite the advanced vocabulary (the detailed paintings amongst the pages helped patch him together the plot), Kiyoomi didn’t hear the fast-approaching footsteps of his friend until he’d jumped on top of him.

“Omi! Omi!”

There was no doubt that the excitable bundle of silk clothes and bright orange hair in his lap was Prince Shouyou. His friend’s flailing had nearly sent his book flying; Kiyoomi had only managed to retain a grip on it because he was rather used to this manner of interruption. 

“Hello, Shou,” he said, snapping the book shut. “You know you can just tap me, right?”

“That’s no fun,” said Shouyou. “Let’s go exploring, Omi!”

“Haven’t we explored enough already? That’s all we’ve been doing this week.”

“But we still haven’t found the dungeons!”

“We aren’t allowed there anyway,” Kiyoomi protested yet again. Shouyou had been talking endlessly about the dungeons ever since Shouyou’s father had let the dungeons’ existence slip in their presence. Despite a swift order that neither of them were to go anywhere near said dungeons and his father’s refusal to provide any more information about their location, Shouyou would not let the thought go.

“Please, please, Omi?” Shouyou was looking at him with those eyes again, large and hopeful, and Kiyoomi felt his remaining protests die in his throat. 

“Alright, alright,” Kiyoomi said, rising to his feet. Shouyou waited for Kiyoomi to reshelve his book and then skipped down the stairs two at a time as Kiyoomi followed him, not nearly as exuberant.

“Heading out, Prince Shouyou, Kiyoomi dear?” Kiyoomi’s mother was wheeling a cart of books past the staircase on the third floor. 

“Yes, Lady Sakusa!” Shouyou shot her a wide grin as he bolted past her. 

“Take care of Prince Shouyou, dear,” his mother said. “You need to be the responsible one, since you’re older.”

“Yes, mother,” said Kiyoomi. As if he hadn’t heard this a thousand times already.

The pair of them stepped through the ornately carved wooden doors of the library and into the stone corridor beyond. The castle air was warm and gentle this summer day, and they walked side-by-side past streams of sunlight from the open windows along the hall. 

“Where do you want to try first?” Kiyoomi asked, prompting Shouyou’s face to scrunch in thought.

“There are some doors we haven’t tried in the hall over there,” he said, pointing to their left.

Kiyoomi nodded. He was fairly sure those didn’t lead anywhere particularly interesting, but he supposed that also would make them an ideal hiding spot for secret dungeons.

Shouyou’s hand clasped around his wrist as he flashed Kiyoomi a bright smile. “Let’s go then, Omi!” And they were off, running down the corridor as quickly as their legs could take them.

The first door they tried opened into an ordinary bedchamber, thankfully empty of any guest. Shouyou huffed a disappointed sigh and clanged the door shut.

The second was even more of a letdown. Nothing more than a small closet of fresh linens and towels.

The third was a small drawing room that didn’t appear to have been used much in recent days. White sheets covered all of the furniture, although the room was still devoid of dust. Kiyoomi was grateful for that small blessing, at least. He was already naturally not fond of mess, and this inclination was made even worse by his mother’s fierce bathtime scrubbing at any hint of dirt on his pale skin.

They tried a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth before Shouyou began complaining about how boring his castle was. 

“What do you think we’ll find in the dungeons?” Kiyoomi asked, hoping to distract his friend from his whining. He’d heard it several times this week already, and he was getting a bit tired of it.

“I don’t know,” Shouyou said, and Kiyoomi knew his question had done its trick as Shouyou’s face scrunched in thought again. “Skeletons maybe?” 

“Maybe,” Kiyoomi echoed, though he couldn't fathom why Shouyou would want to see such things.

When they peeked into their fourth empty bedchamber of the day, Kiyoomi’s stomach gave a great growl, sending Shouyou into giggles. Kiyoomi wrapped his arms around his belly. “Oh be quiet,” he mumbled.

Shouyou stopped laughing long enough to shoot him a cheeky grin. “Me, or your stomach?”

Kiyoomi settled for glaring at him in response.

“Omi, if you’re hungry, let’s go sneak a snack from the kitchens,” Shouyou said. “I heard grandpa say they’re making plum tarts today!”

Kiyoomi’s stomach gurgled again, as if announcing what both he and Shouyou already knew—that plum tarts were his favorite dessert.

Shouyou sniggered and grabbed Kiyoomi’s wrist again. “Let’s go then!”

The two of them walked down the remaining length of the hallway, still unexplored. Kiyoomi wondered how many more days it’d take to finish opening the rest of the doors—and whether Shouyou would be satisfied with that or suggest they try another long hallway of the castle.

A thicker metal door at the end of the hall opened to the sprawling gardens outside, the lawns cut with meticulously trimmed footpaths and decorated by large hedges and rainbows of flowers.

“Do you know where you’re going, Shou?” Kiyoomi asked as the boy peered at a small gap between two thorny bushes of pink roses. The normal way to the kitchens was along one of the winding footpaths.

“I think this is a shortcut!”

Kiyoomi knew better than to trust his friend. Shouyou had a knack for getting lost despite spending their entire lives within the castle walls. Still, this did look vaguely in the direction of the kitchens, and Kiyoomi was rather curious to know what was on the other side of the pristine bushes he often passed by on his way to the library. 

They stepped through together, snagging their clothes on the thorns. Kiyoomi winced at the loose threads now poking out of his shirt, but Shouyou didn’t even seem to notice. In front of them stretched a long, narrow strip of lawn, surrounded on all sides by bushes taller than them. 

“Come on, Omi!” Shouyou sprinted forward, tugging at his wrist again. “The plum tarts are waiting!”

“Slow down, Shou—”

As if on cue, Shouyou tripped, tumbling to the ground and dragging Kiyoomi down with him. Both of them rolled several times before coming to a stop, a tangle of limbs sprawled across the grass. With the wind thoroughly knocked out of him, it took Kiyoomi a few moments to realize Shouyou was grimacing and wiggling his foot about.

“Are you hurt, Shou?” 

“My foot feels a bit funny,” Shouyou said, inadvisably continuing to shake it. “But, Omi… that was odd. I tripped on something metal.”

“Metal?”

Kiyoomi crawled back to where they had run from, no longer minding the grass stains on his clothes and the dirt on his hands. He was in for a stern lecture and a scrub no matter what he did now, so he might as well get to the bottom of this.

His hands touched something warm, solid, and metallic. He parted the blades of grass on top, revealing what appeared to be—

“A handle?” Shouyou crouched next to him, eyebrows knitting together. 

Kiyoomi grasped the metal, the size of it clearly meant for grown-up hands. His own hand barely covered a third of its length. The handle lifted up, raising a few inches before it refused to budge further.

“Shou, give me a hand, this is really heavy.”

The two of them tried their best to position all four of their hands around the metal handle. They tugged as hard as they could.

“It’s moving, Omi, just a little more—”

With a loud _creak_ and a _clang_ , a small hatch opened in the ground, unearthed from the grass hiding its borders. The air emanating from the hole was cool and damp, and the smell reminded Kiyoomi of the stables, only ten times more concentrated. He felt like retching.

“Wow, what do you think is down—Omi? Are you okay?” 

Shouyou’s hands gripped his shoulders, and Kiyoomi started, unaware that he had shut his eyes. “I’m fine,” he said. The stench was diluting now, and he took a tentative breath. “Do you think this leads to…”

“The dungeons?” Shouyou whispered with a hint of wonder.

“Only one way to find out,” Kiyoomi said, peering down into the darkness. 

Steep stone steps trailed from the entrance down into the depths. Shouyou led the way, reasoning that if the smell got much worse, he’d tell Kiyoomi to turn around. Kiyoomi followed behind, nose pinched with his fingers and eyes watering. They reached the bottom of the stairs and waited a few moments for their vision to adjust to the lack of light. Shouyou sneezed, and both of them reached for the other’s hand when they heard it echo through the vast chamber. 

“This is spooky,” Shouyou whispered. “Do you think anyone is here?”

They crept further inside, down a narrow corridor. They passed rusted metal bars that enclosed small cells. The stone walls and floor on the other sides of the bars were covered in scratches and splotches of dark red. Kiyoomi shuddered. The stench was getting more pungent the further in they went, but he knew that Shouyou wanted to see the whole space for himself. Kiyoomi tried his best to push through the waves of nausea. 

Finally, the corridor opened into a larger room with no exit besides the way they came. Scones lined the walls, but no torches were found within them. Thick chains were scattered about the chamber, attached to the walls in indiscernible patterns: some were high above the ground, others so low that Kiyoomi could have wrapped them around his own neck. 

“Omi, do you think this is blood?” Shouyou asked, peering at the rusty-red color that splattered the walls and chains. 

“Don’t touch that, Shou,” Kiyoomi said. He was only barely managing to keep himself from vomiting now. He was hearing a faint hissing noise, and his skin felt like it was crawling. 

“No skeletons,” Shouyou said, sounding almost disappointed as he made his way along the edge of the room. “Why do you think some of these chains are so high up?”

“Torture?” Kiyoomi suggested. He’d learned the word only recently from his books, though his mother was reluctant to explain the term in much detail.

“What’s that?”

Before Kiyoomi could explain what little he knew, Shouyou let loose a high-pitched scream. “ _Something’s on me!”_

Kiyoomi screamed too. His heart pounding out of his chest, he grabbed Shouyou’s hand and raced back to the stairs, practically throwing Shouyou up through the hole.

“Are you okay? What happened?”

“Omi, it’s on me, it’s on me.” Shouyou was crying, hands furiously scratching at his shirt.

Kiyoomi watched in horror for a split moment, until a dark, fuzzy antenna popped out from one of Shouyou’s sleeves. Kiyoomi dove forward, grabbed Shouyou’s arm, and shook it. A cockroach fell to the ground and crawled away with a hiss.

Kiyoomi sighed in relief, feeling his limbs tremble from the rush of adrenaline now leaving him. “Shou,” he said, giving his friend another shake. Shouyou was still crying. “It was a cockroach.”

“Really?” Shouyou asked through sniffles. Kiyoomi patted him on the back.

“Yeah, it crawled away just now.” 

“Oh,” said Shouyou. He was calming down, though his breath was still shaky. “I guess that wasn’t a big deal, huh.”

“Uh huh,” said Kiyoomi. 

The pair looked at each other. A beat passed, and the two of them burst into giggles, tentative at first but quickly evolving into full-on mirth. 

Shouyou wiped his tear-stained cheeks with his sleeve. “Shall we go get tarts now?” Shouyou poked at Kiyoomi’s stomach. “I think I’ve had enough exploring for one day.”

Together they pushed the heavy hatch door shut again. Kiyoomi insisted that they at least _try_ to clean themselves off in one of the nearby bath rooms, so they back tracked into the castle walls once more. With their hands clean, they finally set off down the regular walking path towards the kitchens, the fear from their earlier dungeon escapade washed away along with the dirt on their palms.

They arrived at the kitchens within only a few minutes. The back door was propped open, letting in both fresh air and mischievous boys. 

Shouyou quickly spotted the trays of tarts placed along the counters on the other side of the kitchen. They both surveyed the room, finding no cooks in sight. With a shared grin, they snuck towards the pastries. Kiyoomi could almost taste them already, each little tart of flaky crust stacked high with freshly sliced plums and glossed with a generous serving of sugar syrup. They must have been fresh out of the ovens. The aroma was heavenly.

“Prince Shouyou!” 

Shouyou’s hand froze, just a hair’s breadth away from grabbing one of the desserts. 

They both turned to face the Head Chef, trying their best to not look too guilty. 

“And little Kiyoomi too,” the Head Chef said, sighing as she crossed her arms across her chest. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you have any. These are for the King and his guests this afternoon.”

“Not even one tart? It’s Omi’s favorite!” Shouyou was putting on his best puppy-eye expression. Kiyoomi tried to follow suit, though he was sure his own fell flat of the desired effect. Shouyou was simply a natural.

The Head Chef shook her head again, pointing with her stirring spoon. “I’m sorry, Prince Shouyou—”

“Chef Nesa!” A deep voice boomed from the door.

“Your Majesty.” The Head Chef turned and gave a curtsy.

“Grandpa!” Shouyou shouted.

“Ah, my Shouyou,” said the King as he wound his way towards where they were standing. “And your dear friend Kiyoomi too,” he said, acknowledging Kiyoomi’s bow. The King’s eyes twinkled as they landed on the tarts as well. “My favorite. You’ve really outdone yourself, Chef Nesa.”

“Thank you, your Majesty—”

“Grandpa, can we have some? Please?”

“Now, now, Shouyou. What did Chef Nesa say?”

Shouyou looked down at his feet. “She said no, because they’re for your party later,” he mumbled.

The King laughed. “I see. Indeed, my guests this afternoon can pack away quite a number of these tarts. We’ll need all we can get, unfortunately.” The King turned back towards the Head Chef. “How is the roasted pheasant coming along, Chef Nesa? I must confess I came by to sneak a taste.”

“Oh! Let me show your Majesty.” The Head Chef bustled away towards the roaring fire pit where an enormous bird sat amongst the flames, skewered on a long spit. The fire hissed and crackled every so often, whenever a drop of fat fell down onto the flames. Kiyoomi could feel his mouth watering.

An elbow dug into his side, jolting him back to Shouyou and—the King?

The King bent in front of them, extending a large hand with two tarts resting on his palm. With his other hand, he held a finger to his mouth in a _shush_ -ing motion. Shouyou and Kiyoomi each grasped a tart, and the King straightened again with a wink. He turned back towards the Head Chef with an ostentatious sweep of his cape, and Shouyou quickly shoved Kiyoomi back towards the other side of the kitchen.

“Let’s go!” Shouyou whispered, barely suppressing a giggle of delight. They tip-toed away, hidden from the Head Chef’s view by the King’s cape, and together they leapt back onto the grass outside.

Shouyou held his tart above his head triumphantly. “We did it!”

Kiyoomi didn’t even bother to celebrate. He was just about to take a large bite of the tart when Shouyou’s hand clamped over his mouth.

“Wait, Omi!”

“What?” Omi grumbled from behind Shouyou’s hand. He’d waited far too long for this bite.

“Let’s go somewhere to enjoy these. I know just the place!”

Kiyoomi looked down forlornly at his tart, but he knew there was no stopping Shouyou when he got such ideas in his head. “Alright, but let’s hurry. I’m really hungry.”

“Follow me!”

Shouyou bounded away, perpetually filled with energy. Kiyoomi followed him back into the castle walls, though this time on the opposite side from the library. They climbed several flights of stairs, winding up another tall guard tower. Kiyoomi could feel his tart growing soft as they went, the sugar syrup spilling onto the crust as it was jostled, no matter how carefully Kiyoomi held it. Whatever Shouyou had in mind better be worth it. Many minutes later, Shouyou finally tugged open a door leading to the top of the castle walls. They stepped out onto the breezy walkway.

“Look Omi, we’re just in time!”

Shouyou hunched by the wall, peeking through a little gap in the stone. Kiyoomi was tall enough to peer over the wall directly, and he gazed down below to another lawn enclosed within the castle walls.

Many stories beneath them were several dozen men, obviously tall and muscular even from this high above. They looked to be dueling, some swinging wooden swords somewhat wildly, while others artfully parried and stabbed with what looked like real metal gleaming in the sunlight.

Kiyoomi took a bite of his tart; he’d waited long enough. His mouth burst with tangy, juicy plum and buttery crust, and Kiyoomi hummed out his happiness. “What’s happening below?” He mumbled through his mouthful.

“Knight training!” Shouyou exclaimed. He was still holding his tart by his side, seemingly forgotten. Kiyoomi wondered if Shouyou would give him a bite of his, if he finished his own quickly enough.

“What’s so cool about knight training?” Kiyoomi asked. And why would it be more interesting than a delicious tart?

“Father says that one day when I’m older, I’ll get to choose a knight to guard me, just like him and Grandpa. Doesn’t that sound cool? Someone super strong who stays by your side, always ready to protect you?”

Kiyoomi stopped chewing to peer over the wall again. His eyes swept over the sparring men once more, thoughts turning in his head. “Yeah,” he said, swallowing his bite of tart. “That does sound pretty cool.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so very much for reading! <3 Hope to see you on the next chapter!
> 
> -Raiyn


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eight-year-old Prince Shouyou attends his first day of formal lessons—although he's really only excited for the sword fighting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to Omi! Here's a special update to celebrate.

Children of the castle received a special gift (or to some, a special curse) when they turned eight years of age: they began their formal schooling.

All children who resided in the castle walls, no matter their social standing, sat together in classrooms for lectures or participated in hands-on group lessons across the castle facilities. It was a system started by Shouyou’s grandfather the first year after he had ascended the throne. King Haruki had insisted that all children be allowed to learn and make use of their talents in the world, and that their birth situation had nothing to do with their abilities. He had tasked his advisors to set up a formal curriculum, and three cohorts of children, divided by age, started their lessons that same year.

The decision had not been without controversy in the kingdom. Many of the nobles had been incensed about their precious sons and daughters being asked to mingle with “riff-raff.” Some had even sent their children to private schools beyond the castle in an action of protest, an option that a few noble families still chose today. Nevertheless, the school system persisted, and the King’s own family members served as examples, each expected to attend both the castle lessons as well as additional private lessons meant to prepare them for their future roles. 

So it came to be that the week after his eighth birthday, Prince Shouyou joined the other forty-some castle children in the youngest cohort—including Kiyoomi, who had started a few months before.

“Omi,” Shouyou whispered. They were seated next to each other at one of the long student tables, several rows back from the instructor. Shouyou wasn’t sure if anyone had been sitting there before him, but one of the perks of being prince was that no one would dare to ask him to move.

The instructor was busy lecturing about the importance of quill angle for forming beautiful letters. Omi looked completely absorbed, but Shouyou couldn’t care less about the material—or about letting his friend concentrate.

“ _Omi_ ,” he prodded again. Kiyoomi finally looked back at him, displeased at the interruption.

“What, Shou? This better be important,” he hissed. Kiyoomi was the only person besides his parents who dared to snap at him, and unfortunately for Kiyoomi, this only made Shouyou want to push his buttons more.

“This is so boring, Omi. When do we get to the sword fighting?”

“I _told_ you, that’s in the afternoon. Now let me focus, I still haven’t figured out how to get my ‘O’s looking right.”

“Alright, alright,” said Shouyou. He put his head down on the desk in front of him. A little doze seemed like a good idea right now. The room was toasty, and the instructor’s voice was so monotone that Shouyou had no choice but to surrender to his drowsiness.

It felt like only a few seconds had passed when an elbow lodged itself between Shouyou’s ribs, forcing his eyes to snap open.

“Shou, the instructor’s coming.”

Shouyou jolted upright, straightening himself in his uncomfortably large wooden chair. He kicked his legs, too short to find purchase on the ground.

“Prince Shouyou, let’s see what you’ve—”

Shouyou looked up at his instructor, putting on his usual grin for such situations. The only mark on his parchment was a spot of drool. 

“Right,” the instructor said, coughing into his hand in a poor attempt to hide his annoyance. “I’ll give you some more time, Your Highness.”

The instructor moved on to Kiyoomi’s sheet, nearly filled with black marks. In Shouyou’s opinion, they looked identical to the instructor’s examples, but that didn’t stop the instructor from jabbing at one of the forms with the end of his quill.

“Kiyoomi, no, no, not at all like this. The angle of your ‘y’ is very off, it needs to lean more to the right. You must not rush your forms. You need to write slowly and deliberately.”

The instructor bent and scribbled an example letter onto Kiyoomi’s page.

“Give me another solid sheet of these ‘y’s, Kiyoomi,” said the instructor, before turning to critique the next student in the row.

Shouyou leaned over to peak at the instructor’s marks.

“It looks the same as yours, Omi. What’s he on about?”

“That’s because of you, Shou,” Kiyoomi snapped. “He said my ‘y’s were fine yesterday. Now leave me alone, I have more work to do now.”

“Alright,” Shouyou said, properly chastened. He dutifully picked up his quill for the first time, giving his parchment a few test jabs with the nib.

A few moments later, he turned to tap Kiyoomi on the shoulder again.

“ _What_ , Shou?”

Shouyou gave him a tentative smile as he shoved his parchment a bit closer. He’d tried his best, though his letterforms looked far more wobbly and disorganized than Kiyoomi’s neat print.

_Sor_ r _y, Om_ i

Shouyou held his breath as Kiyoomi’s face scrunched up. After a tense second, Kiyoomi’s face relaxed again, and he shook his head as a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

“You’re forgiven. Now get back to work,” Kiyoomi said, this time with no bite to his words.

* * *

“Today we’ll be learning about medicinal plants and their uses,” said the botanist as the class wound its way around the greenhouse aisles, trailing after her like little ducklings. 

The myriad of plants found in the greenhouse was staggering, and Shouyou would have been far more impressed if he hadn’t been impatiently awaiting his first opportunity to touch a sword. The glass walls were filled to the brim with green leaves of all shades and shapes, interspersed with flowers large and small. Shouyou could hardly see over the tops of the plants.

“I’d like everyone in the class to select a plant they would like to learn more about.” The botanist stopped once they’d reached an aisle at the far back of the greenhouse. “I’ll give you some time to explore.”

The children dispersed, some running off with enthusiasm (like Kiyoomi) to examine the many different plants on display, and others lagging behind (like Shouyou), shuffling their feet to any old plant nearby.

“Omi, it’s the afternoon,” Shouyou whined, peeking out from behind a tall plant with long, slender leaves. Omi had already walked the length of the aisle and returned to where he was. “Why are we here in a greenhouse, looking at dumb plants instead of playing with swords?”

“This is the last class before sword fighting practice. And the plants are _not_ dumb.”

“Why do you like them so much?” Shouyou slapped the stalk of the plant, watching it bounce and sway from his attack. Kiyoomi grabbed his hand before he could do it again.

“Stop that. You should treat plants with respect too, they might save you some day,” Kiyoomi said. He looked mildly embarrassed before he added, “At least, that’s what I read in my dad’s journal.”

Shouyou’s hand fell limply to his side. “Oh, right. Your dad was an apothecary.”

“Yeah. Learning about plants makes me feel closer to him.”

Shouyou hummed, ducking around the plant to stand by Kiyoomi’s side. Kiyoomi’s father had passed from illness when Kiyoomi and Shouyou were very young, too young to form lasting memories. Lady Sakusa had preserved all of her late husband’s records, journals, and textbooks, and Kiyoomi flipped through them often. He had precious little else to remember his father by.

“I’m sure he’d be happy you’re studying plants too,” Shouyou said, patting Kiyoomi gently on the back.

“Prince Shouyou, may I see the plant you’ve selected?” Their teacher had arrived at their section of the aisle with a bright smile. She looked so eager to explain that Shouyou immediately felt the urge to act enthusiastic as well, not wanting to dampen her high spirits.

“Ah! How about this one?” he said, gesturing to the plant he had slapped just moments before. It was the least he could do to make up for his manners.

“Excellent choice, Prince Shouyou,” the botanist said. She straightened her spectacles and beamed at the plant, carefully straightening a few out-of-place leaves. “This is a ginger plant. You’ve probably had plenty of ginger in your meals.”

“Really?” Shouyou was intrigued. “But this looks nothing like the ginger that I’ve eaten.”

“That’s right, the ginger you eat is the root part, down below the earth.” The botanist knelt down, using her hand to shovel at the soil around the stalk of the plant. Shouyou and Kiyoomi crouched down with her as she gradually unearthed the light brown root that they were familiar with.

“See? Ginger root is fantastic for helping with nausea and upset tummies. You can eat it raw, cook it with your food, or even boil it in tea.” The botanist packed the soil back around the ginger plant before glancing at her two young students. Shouyou was making a face; he hated the ginger tea he’d sometimes been forced to drink by his mother. The botanist laughed, clearly delighted that they were hanging onto her every word. 

“Kiyoomi, what plant have you chosen?”

Kiyoomi pointed across the aisle to a large bed of what looked like grass with small clusters of pale yellow flowers peeking out from amongst the blades. The flower petals were striped with lines of bright orange, reminding Shouyou of tiny sunbursts.

“Ah, Kiyoomi, you have a fantastic eye,” the botanist said. Kiyoomi practically sparkled under the praise.

“I’ve seen drawings of most of these plants in my dad’s books,” he said, “but not those.”

“Oh! You’re Sakusa’s son, are you not?” At Kiyoomi’s bashful nod, she continued. “I never had the chance to work with him, unfortunately, but many of the botanists here still speak fondly of him. He was known for being passionate about medicinal herbs, and it’s thanks to him that this greenhouse is so well-stocked with them.” She smiled wistfully. “I’m sure he would have loved this one, but it was discovered only a few years ago. We’ve named it the Hiding Taiyou, since it was first found in our kingdom’s forests.”

“Hiding?” said Kiyoomi, peering down at the flowers.

“Hiding, because the flowers only open up for short periods during the day, usually just after noon. Most of the time, the plant looks quite similar to the grass it likes to grow in.”

The botanist motioned for Kiyoomi to move closer, and she picked a few of the flowers and placed them in his hand. “The flowers can be boiled in water to make a medicinal tea. The tea helps wounds heal faster, and we’ve even seen it reduce fevers. We’ve been trying to grow as much as we can in the greenhouse, because it’s so challenging to find in the forests.”

Kiyoomi turned over the flowers in his hand, poking at the petals with his finger. The botanist smiled once more. “If only your father could see you now. He’d be so proud. Good work, Kiyoomi, Prince Shouyou.”

The botanist moved to the next group, and Shouyou watched Kiyoomi carefully pocket the flowers, radiating happiness.

* * *

By the time Shouyou and Kiyoomi finally reached the grassy lawns where they’d be meeting their swordmaster, Shouyou was about ready to do flips—and he would have tried, too, if Kiyoomi hadn’t held the back of his shirt.

“The swordmaster is strict, Shou. He might even chew you out.” When Shouyou opened his mouth to object, Omi amended, “Or at least not let you hold a sword today.” Shouyou shut his mouth with an audible clack. He wasn’t willing to risk that possibility.

The children lined up in front of the swordmaster as if waiting for orders, a surprisingly respectful action for a usually rowdy bunch. Shouyou looked curiously up and down the row of his classmates. No one was speaking.

“Prince Shouyou,” said the swordmaster, and Shouyou’s gaze snapped to that of his instructor. “Welcome to your first day of class. I’m giving you advanced warning that I’m not treating you any differently from your classmates here. You need to be just as prepared, if not _more_ prepared, to fight as any of these other children. I won’t let it be said that my lack of discipline when you were younger led to your early grave.”

Shouyou gulped. This was not a man to be taken lightly. 

The swordmaster held his gaze several moments, as if boring his words deep into Shouyou’s consciousness. When the swordmaster finally looked away again, Shouyou let out an audible exhale.

“No doubt you are all excited to get underway. Please don your protective gear and give me ten laps around the lawn.”

The grumblings that rang through the group were quickly silenced with another look from the swordmaster. The children walked to the shade where a pile of cloth padding and face shields lay on the ground. Each child tugged on a long padded shirt and pants along with a thick cloth hood sewn with mesh fabric on the front for vision.

Shouyou punched at his padding as he walked to where the other children had already gathered, all of them more practiced at stepping into the gear than he was. The clothing was tight, especially around the neck, and under the heat of the sun Shouyou felt like he was being smothered. 

At an ear-splitting whistle from the Swordmaster, the group took off. Shouyou’s legs felt like lead, wrapped in padding that rubbed awkwardly as he ran. He felt ridiculous and slow—the other children seemed to be jogging along easily, whereas he was already wheezing and fighting the sweat dripping into his eyes.

“Omi, we have to run ten laps of this? I’m already tired.” 

Kiyoomi was running on his right and panting heavily as well. “You—you get used to it. I felt awful on my first day too.”

Shouyou was nevertheless determined to make it through the ten laps, even if he had to crawl over the finish line. It was easier said than done. Each further lap tested his willpower more, as his chest burned with each breath and his legs started to wobble. It was all he could do to force them forward robotically, step after step.

Kiyoomi stayed with him until the end. The two of them crossed the finish together: the two youngest amongst the children, and the two slowest. They collapsed in a heap against each other in the shade.

The conditioning continued for nearly an hour. Shouyou had never felt this level of exhaustion before. They did push ups and sit ups. They held squats. They rolled and jumped. Shouyou only managed to push through by watching Kiyoomi next to him. It wasn’t that Kiyoomi didn’t seem tired. Kiyoomi’s eyes looked about ready to roll back into their sockets, and he was sweating buckets. Still, seeing his friend work his hardest during each exercise made Shouyou want to try his best as well.

Finally, when Shouyou was feeling ready to hurl his lunch onto the grass after another grueling set of sit ups, the swordmaster clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. They’d have a short rest, and then: it was time to sword fight. 

They split off into pairs, and each child received a wooden practice sword. Shouyou examined his from all possible angles, holding it reverently as he turned it. Any lingering thoughts of his exhaustion drained from his mind, and his body seemed to find a second wind. This was the moment he’d been waiting for years, ever since he first beheld the royal knights in training.

“Today, we will be doing sparring drills. Grip your sword with both hands and try to swing in a controlled manner. None of this wild flailing,” said the swordmaster, waving his sword around limply. “Use any means necessary to knock your opponent into a prone position. There’s no use in honor if you’re dead.”

“Ready, Shou?” Kiyoomi was already in a stance, sword raised.

Shouyou tried to mirror him as best as he could, despite the tremble in his legs. “Bring it on, Omi.”

Before he could even blink, Kiyoomi’s sword tip was on top of his heart. 

“You’re leaving your entire chest open. Turn more to the side.”

Shouyou nodded, adjusting his stance. Kiyoomi lunged forward again, and Shouyou managed to parry his blade away—but Kiyoomi’s sword swung back around, knocking him on the side of the head from the other direction. Shouyou was seeing stars.

“Good, good, Kiyoomi.” The swordmaster had come over to observe. “Prince Shouyou, press the advantage if you have it. You blocked Kiyoomi’s sword just then. Use that opportunity to attack before he gets his bearings.”

“Got it.” Shouyou took his starting stance once more. He didn’t like being on the defensive. This time he’d try to strike first. 

Shouyou lunged forward, catching Kiyoomi by surprise as his sword point bounced off of Kiyoomi’s neck padding. 

“Hmph,” Kiyoomi said, rubbing at the spot where Shouyou’s sword struck. “Good one. Let’s see you try that again.”

Shouyou obliged, willing his legs to propel him forward even faster. He thought he’d succeeded for a moment, but Kiyoomi arched backwards at the last possible second. Shouyou only had a beat to process what had happened. Kiyoomi’s leg swept in an arc along the ground, colliding with the back of Shouyou’s knees and knocking Shouyou down onto the grass. Shouyou looked sheepishly upwards as Kiyoomi loomed over him, his sword pointed at Shouyou’s neck.

The swordmaster clapped. “Excellent, Kiyoomi. Good use of your leg. Prince Shouyou, be careful not to launch yourself off balance. A skilled opponent will make use of your momentum against you.” The swordmaster walked away to another group, and Shouyou was left to catch his breath.

“Did I hit you too hard?” Kiyoomi didn’t sound particularly worried. That was a taunt, if anything.

Shouyou took the hand Kiyoomi offered to him, pulling him back onto his feet. “You’re so strong, Omi,” Shouyou said, brushing some stray grass from his padding. He looked back at Kiyoomi, feeling a surge of pride and admiration. “I want to be like you.” 

Shouyou didn’t miss the flash of surprise on Kiyoomi’s face, nor his small smile as he rubbed the side of his face with his hand. Shouyou meant his statements sincerely; he had the utmost respect for his friend after watching Kiyoomi determinedly go through their tortuous conditioning session. Still, it’d be remiss of him to let Kiyoomi drop his guard like this in a fight, without a reminder of the consequences.

He jabbed forward. Kiyoomi’s sword met his with a loud clang, parrying his attack. “You’re going to have to try harder than that, Shou.”

Shouyou met Kiyoomi’s smirk with one of his own. “You’re on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I hope you've been enjoying the story so far. <3 Future chapters probably won't come as quickly, but I couldn't resist posting a faster update for Omi's birthday. Please let me know what you think! I always love hearing from readers!
> 
> -Raiyn

**Author's Note:**

> [Tweet for sharing!](https://twitter.com/RaiynTea/status/1373356045830029313)


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